Romeo and Juliet Act3 Scene 1
What happens in Act 3 Scene 1? It is a crucial scene, a turning point and it determines the rest of the action. It is a tense and exciting scene for the audience and tragic at the same time. In this scene, soon after Romeo and Juliet secret marriage, Tybalt kills Mercutio and then Romeo kills Mercutio to take revenge. Then, Romeo is banished from Verona. Paragraph1: Why were tension and excitement created? Mercutio is not in a good mood but he is in argumentative mood, he seems angry.
The audience is prepared for the fact that a fight is going to occur (tension and suspense are built). He tells Mercutio that if someone is in a bad mood, everything even an unimportant cause will end to a fight. Benvolio is warning Mercutio that because it is a hot day he is sure there will be a fight (and if we meet we shall not scape a brawl-Benvolio). He suggests Mercutio that they should go home. The strong use of vocabulary and personification here increases the tension. for now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring, Benvolio). We know that a fight is inevitable. The use of symbolism with awhiskers in beards, cracking nuts etc make the audience even more worried for what will happen after (thou, why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair less in his beard than thou hast, Mercutio). When Tybalt arrives, the atmosphere immediately changes, becoming much tenser, because of his dangerous reputation, yet he remains polite to Mercutio as Mercutio is not his real target.
Mercutio uses provocative language towards Tybalt and Tybalt reacts in a similar way (make it a word and a blow, Mercutio) (you shall find me apt enough to that sir, an you give me a reason, Tybalt) Tybalt tells Mercutio with irony that he hangs out with Romeo, so Mercutio gets angry and threatens. It is evident that he will not withdraw calling him aa villaina (Romeoa¦ thou art a villain, Tybalt). This is a great insult to Romeo who is of noble birth. He tries to start a fight with Romeo and he accuses Romeo to antagonize him in the hope of starting a fight. The audience adopts negative feelings towards Tybalt.
